Park City, Utah
Date: March 24-30, 2012
Trip Leader: Laura Gugliotta
Trip Assistant: John Kelly

(Pictures are clickable for high-res images)

This trip was a near repeat of our 2006 visit to Park City, even with the same number of participants, 33.  One big difference was that in 2006 we had a late flight from Newark and did not arrive at our hotel until 2:30AM MST.  For this trip we decided on an early flight so that we would arrive at our hotel in time for lunch and be well prepared to hit the slopes the next morning.  The bus met us in the Piscataway Telcordia parking lot at 4:15 AM Sat., 3/24.  Everyone taking the bus to Newark arrived on time so we quickly loaded and departed for Newark at 4:30 AM.  Most people took the bus but a few met us at the airport.

Upon arrival at the airport, everyone checked in without incident.  The flight also was without incident, and we actually arrived several minutes early in SLC.  The bus driver offered to stop at a grocery and liquor store before dropping us off at the hotel.  All participants agreed to stop and most people loaded up on snacks and beverages. 

When we arrived at the Park City Peaks hotel (it was the Radisson in 2006), the rooms were ready and the keys were assigned.  The hotel baggage handlers brought each person’s luggage to their respective rooms.  Some people relaxed, some people strolled along Main St. in Park City, and one person went on a 16 mile hike.  At 4 PM everyone attended the Park City Peaks Hotel orientation.  There were several representatives from the mountains answering questions; wine and cheese were served.  The trip leaders passed out the lift tickets in the bar after the orientation meeting.

Included in the trip package was a breakfast buffet.  On any given day the buffet offered several choices, including scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, pancakes, French toast, biscuits and gravy, hash browns, oatmeal, cold cereal, coffee and juices.  You could even order eggs and waffles cooked to order.

The hotel provided many amenities for the guests.  In the late afternoon starting at 5PM there was free cider, cookies, and hot chocolate delivered to your room.  We enjoyed two hot tubs and an indoor/outdoor pool all open from 6AM to 11PM.

The busses stopped right in front of the hotel, which made it extremely easy to get to the mountains, restaurants, and the town.  Participants took advantage of the wide variety of restaurants in Park City including the Brazilian restaurant with cachaca drinks and the fantastic Deer Valley Seafood Buffet.  Other favorite options included Thai, Vietnamese, German, Italian, Irish, and of course brew pubs. 

Trip participants spent most of the days Sunday through Thursday at Park City, Deer Valley or the Canyons.  Thanks to the unusually warm winter of 2012 we had spring snow conditions:  hard and crusty in the early morning, softening up by 9:30-10:00, and becoming very soft by the end of the day.  On Monday it snowed a good three inches in Deer Valley, and if you were lucky enough to be there, you got a real treat.  On Thursday, the hotel sponsored a trip to Alta:  transportation and lift tickets for $106.  Even in a bad snow year the conditions were great at Alta.  You could still make fresh tracks at the end of the day. 

On Tuesday night we held a Happy Hour in the Park City Peaks Hotel.  We had a fruit tray, vegetable tray, chicken skewers, and chips and salsa along with a cash bar.

On Friday morning everyone had their luggage outside of their room by 6 AM.  The hotel baggage handlers carried the luggage to the lobby and loaded the bus.  The bus left at 7 AM for the SLC airport.   

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